Researchers to investigate sale of eating disorders among gymnasts

According to Wales Online, Welsh researchers are to investigate sale of eating disorders among gymnasts. A team of researchers from Swansea University have been given a grant of £100,000 ($145,000 / €120,000) to find out if young star gymnasts are starving themselves for success.

They will begin their research which will span over 18 months, in partnership with British Gymnastics this summer. The Team will investigate how British elite gymnasts develop freedom of choice, self image and identity within the elite gymnastics environment they find themselves. The research project is a multi-disciplinary effort drawing from philosophical, psychiatric, and social-sciences research perspectives to understand the ethos of elite gymnastics. It’s the perfect time to do this research, given that gymnasts are currently training in the lead up to the London 2012 Olympics and the World Championships in Rotterdam.

Steve Green , the Technical Manager of British Gymnastics says:

We hope to learn from this piece of research to better refine our identification system and pathway of intervention to the benefit of not only gymnastics, but to share the model with other sports.

It’s excellent to read in the article the BG already have a a frame work in place for supporting gymnasts with eating disorders. It’s great that British Gymnastics are supporting this research and it’ll be interesting to see the project results.